Comin’ atcha from Seattle, folks! And before I’m back home, there’s Portland. As always, I love these trips to share Self-Management for Actors with actors around the world, combined with outstanding free events put on by the SAG Foundation. Visiting actors in markets outside Los Angeles always reminds me that it’s the balance of getting those actor tools in order and keeping that mindset in check that makes the difference, long haul.

Since the last few columns have been pretty heavy on the woo-woo, let’s take a moment to check in on our tools, then — of course, because I’m me — wrap up with mindset reminders, going forward.

Before I launch any of our online courses, I ask the participants to take a moment and write down a list of where they want to see their career in the next few weeks or months (depending on the length of the course). So, because we’re knocking on the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2012, I’d love to ask y’all to take a moment and grab pen and paper — something really clicks with this, when it’s done long-hand, rather than on a computer — and make a list of how you’d like to feel about your career by year-end. We’re just over three months away from 2013, and that means it’s a great time to get clear on what you’d like to FEEL about where you are.

I’m not talking about specific goals (like “book a co-star,” “land an agent,” “edit my demo reel”), although those are fine things to list too, but instead about feelings (like “enjoy the ride,” “be crazy in love with my representation’s marketing plan for me,” “feel so thrilled with my website that I cannot wait to give people the URL to visit”). Because I sometimes work with actors who say, “I just want to be in love with my career again,” I always want to circle back around to the fact that sometimes creatives fall out of love with this career we’ve chosen. It’s not because anything in particular is WRONG, but usually because there’s too much focus on the little stuff, rather than enjoyment for the journey.

So, start by making a list of how you’d like to feel about your career (and you can include specific goals if you’d like) by year-end and then put that list in an envelope and tuck it away ’til the end of the year. I’ll remind you it’s time to check that list out again. It’ll be fun. It’ll teach you a lot. That’s for sure!

Okay, so in the meantime, let’s do a quick round-up of some of your most vital tools and see how everything is looking these days.

Your Headshot

Is it awesome? I mean, really awesome? Does it look like you, exactly as you walk through the door on any given day for an audition or meeting? Does it FEEL like you, when someone checks it out and then calls you in? Is it providing a really good sense of the vibe, the tone, the flavor of you? Is the pose a good match for your brand? Does the font in which your name is printed connect us further with who you are? Every element should be in service of your brand. If it’s just a fantastic photo, that’s not enough. Worse, if it’s actually the BEST photo of you — so great that it’s not actually how you look when you show up without two hours of styling and some retouching — it’s screwing you out of building a brand.

Your Resumé

Are you overcrowding your resumé with every single credit you’ve ever earned? Are you packing the dang thing with so much out of an attempt to prove you’ve been on sets, you’ve been on stages, you’ve been in classes… so that you can prove you’ve earned a right to be in a room for an audition or meeting? Stop that. Every credit you’ve earned shows the HISTORY of your bookings. Only some of those credits tell the story of your FUTURE as an actor. Select which credits drop breadcrumbs down the path of “this is how to cast me next” and get rid of everything else. List your resumé items in order of most badass and cut from the bottom whenever you add cool, new things that are on-brand. Mark the header as “selected” when you leave things out, then anyone who wants to know what else you’ve done can ask you to elaborate. Some credits are better as a conversation item! Be okay with that and embrace the white space on that lovely resumé of yours!

Your Reel

Your reel is no longer a one-size-fits-all situation. Sure, an agent or manager may want to see all the ways they can pitch you, by seeing a full demo reel with lots of work packed into it. Fine. But for most folks who are out there actively casting projects, a clip that shows them, “Why, yes! I *can* solve the very specific problem you’re having in casting this role right this minute,” is enough. If you have everything up at your casting profile, your professional website, your YouTube channel, etc., all meticulously labeled with as much rich detail as possible, you’ll be in great shape. And if you’re missing footage that would really round out how the industry should see you (and cast you), you know how to fix that, right? Shoot your own footage! Do that immediately. (But do it right, do it on-brand, do it professionally.)

Your Website

Just like everything else in your actor toolbox, that website needs to look great. Totally on-brand. Everything needs to be in service of your brand. Font, colors, theme, language with which you write about yourself in your bio, the amount of stuff you share about your process, all of it. Not everyone needs to share much. Some actors have a brand that is all about keeping some things to themselves. Others are totally transparent, sharing every audition and every meeting in a blog. Whatever it is you choose to do, just be consistent! If you’re going to post news about your journey, keep pages updated so there’s no question you’re out there hustling, if you’ve engaged even a few people and made us want to tune in to see what you’ve got going on. Be sure we can view your current headshot, download a PDF of your resumé, watch your latest demo reel from any computer or gadget, and reach you directly if we can’t get to you through an agent or manager, at bare minimum. And if you’re not ready to have a website built just for you, have your actor name URL registered and redirected to your IMDb page or Actors Access profile.

Your Head

Of course, you knew I would bring this back to mindset, as I always do that. Get your head right, y’all. Be focused on where you want to be by the end of the year. Short-term goals are just as valuable — if not more valuable — than those big-ass five-year goals we set for ourselves when we’re having big picture convos with the fam.

Buy a China marker (or grease pencil) from any photographic or art supply store and write a note to yourself on your mirror so you are forced to look at it every day when you brush your teeth. Write words there that represent your intention, your core values, your goals for the short term. And don’t just look THROUGH them as you use the mirror. Really look at those words and think about how it feels to move toward all of that.

We all have this crazy, big-ass results-oriented muscle (think about Popeye and his forearms) that we need to help atrophy as we shift toward the more important workout: the one that helps us enjoy this journey, connect with people we adore, and do work we love. When you feel yourself going to the habit, take a breath, take a moment, take a beat… then be sure that’s the choice you want to make. There’s a LOT more out there to choose. The habit is the easy one. That’s why it’s a habit.

We’ll revisit this in just over three months. Imagine where you’ll be by then, if you get all your tools in order and keep your head in the game. Stay mindful. Stay on purpose. Stay ninja.

Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!

Originally published by Actors Access at http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/archives/001560.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.